Unlocking the Full Potential of CBD for Women from Head to Toe
When exploring the health benefits of CBD, many rarely think about the same through a gender-specific lens. It is because most diseases and illnesses have the same effect on men and women.
However, according to some research findings, men and women are differentially predisposed to specific health conditions. For example, the Mental Health Foundation suggests that women are three times more likely to experience common mental health disorders than men.
In addition, women suffer from exclusive health concerns, such as pregnancy, uterine fibroids, menopause, and endometriosis. So, this article focuses explicitly on CBD for women. CBD has become world popular for its potential health benefits. Let's learn how regular use of CBD can benefit women.
Benefits of CBD for Women's Health
- Quality sleep
CBD is primarily popular among people due to its sleep-promoting qualities. The compound affects a network of receptors throughout the human body, forming the endocannabinoid system (ECS), which controls functions like pain, metabolism, and memory. Aside from these functions, the ECS is likely to play a significant role in regulating sleep-related chemicals (serotonin) and the sleep-wake cycle.
The sleep-wake cycle tells the human body to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. In addition, CBD is known to treat many sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy.
- Pain relief
Women can use intensive relief rub to relieve themselves from chronic pain. For example, a study in 2003 discovered that CBD is significantly effective in reducing intractable pain caused by multiple sclerosis. A 2018 study found CBD was 'seemingly effective' in treating chronic pain individuals suffered after kidney transplants.
In addition, many studies suggest that CBD has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that can help women relieve their arthritis pain.
- Anxiety and stress
Almost every individual gets anxious, so knowing whether CBD might help is crucial. Incidentally, many people prefer using CBD mainly to reduce stress and anxiety. But the question is, can this cannabinoid ACTUALLY HELP minimize stress and anxiety?
Well, a study in 2019 found that CBD might be beneficial for treating anxiety-related disorders. In another 2011 study, researchers discovered that CBD treatment successfully reduced anxiety and cognitive impairment and improved participants' speech performance.
Moreover, another health benefit of CBD for women is improved mood. According to research findings, CBD can potentially stimulate the serotonin receptors, a hormone vital for regulating anxiety and mood. Other studies suggest that CBD can support neurogenesis. Neurogenesis is creating new brain cells, helping the individual's brain find new ways to think and solve problems.
- Gut health
It's been reported that a significant proportion of women suffer from digestive problems, especially IBS. The compound is valuable in treating inflammatory diseases because CBD displays potent anti-inflammatory effects.
The anti-inflammatory effect of cannabidiol can be traced to the compound's interaction with the CBD2 receptors within the endocannabinoid system. These receptors play a significant role in immunomodulation and regulating inflammatory response.
Other studies have also found that CBD can potentially reduce symptoms related to digestive issues like nausea, bloating, and cramps. Hence, CBD might enhance your gut health by regulating digestion and improving bowel movements.
- Hormonal imbalance
Hormones like testosterone and estrogen are vital components that regulate women's health. When these hormones go out of balance, women can experience issues like low sex drive, irregular menses, acne, and weight gain.
Fortunately, CBD is researched to provide relief for women experiencing hormonal imbalances. One study found that CBD can regulate cortisol (stress hormone) blood plasma levels. High cortisol concentrations can interfere with other hormones, such as testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone.
- Beauty
The increasing popularity of CBD skincare products has been meteoric, and the reason is apparent. Aside from its medicinal properties, CBD is researched to have properties rivaling those of conventional skincare products.
For instance, CBD can help suppress excess sebum production from the sebaceous glands, helping reduce inflammatory skin conditions like eczema, acne, and rashes.
In addition, since CBD is rich in antioxidants, the compound can mitigate the effects of oxidative stress on the skin and, thus, minimize pigmentation, dark spots, and sagging skin.
- Menopause
Hitting menopause is a significant concern for many women. Symptoms like vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, painful sex, sleep disturbances, and loss of scalp hair typically accompany this health condition.
However, research findings suggest that CBD can potentially help with post-menopausal symptoms. For instance, an experiment on estrogen-deficient mice concluded that these mice marked improvement when fed CBD. The mice showed higher bone density, improved glucose levels, better energy expenditure, and less gut inflammation.
Many researchers suggest that regular consumption of hemp oil softgel formulated using CBD might alleviate chronic pain and inflammation and improve sleep- conditions commonly experienced by menopausal women.
How Can Women Use CBD Safely?
Generally, each brand provides guidelines on the CBD product packaging on how to use the product. You should adhere to these to reap the maximum health benefits of CBD. Although CBD has an excellent safety profile, you should be cautious.
It's advisable to start low and slow with CBD dosage. It will allow you to assess your body's response to the compound. If you experience any side effects, you should discontinue the use immediately and seek medical care.
How to Find Ethically Sourced CBD Products?
Consider the following listed factors to find ethical sources of CBD products:
- Hemp source: You should know that legal CBD is derived from hemp, and the crop's growing conditions can impact the CBD's quantity and quality. So, you should buy CBD products from the companies that grow the hemp crop organically in clean, fertile soil.
- Extraction process: Bioactive compounds from the hemp plants are isolated using special extraction processes. And these extraction processes can impact CBD's quality. Always choose CBD products formulated using solvent and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction methods.
- Third-party lab tests: Checking the third-party lab test reports is the best way to protect yourself from potentially low-quality or harmful CBD products. You should check the potency and cannabinoid profile tests to verify whether the product contains the stated amounts of cannabinoids.
